sent to the Archbishop of Canterbury by Bishop John Spong in response to the Synod's vote not to recognize

women priests from other branches of the Anglican Communion.

Sally Bucklee and Fran Toy agree to co-chair the Lambeth presence. Locations are found for housing and for

program, and plans move forward to ensure the participation of women from all branches of the Anglican

Communion. Programs will highlight the global ministries of women, emphasizing women's development, equality

and empowerment. Prayer vigils will be held daily at Canterbury Cathedral.

The Caucus -- indeed the whole church -- grieves the death of Jan Pierce. Board member and recently

appointed managing editor of The Episcopalian, Jan was a champion of justice issues, especially as they pertained

to women. She initiated the plan for Lambeth 88 and was remembered and honored by every EWC member who

journeyed to England to express solidarity with women of the global community. In the words of a traveler from

Australia, "I thank God for you and all who helped make it meaningful and challenging. What a variety of pilgrims,

what experiences each one had to share. "

The summer of 88 was "a watershed year for women" when the General Convention established the policy of

"Episcopal Visitors" for dioceses and congregations unable to accept women bishops. Passed in the House of

Bishops by a vote of 140 to 28 and in the House of Deputies by a slim majority (lay - yes 60, no 40, divided 16;

clergy yes 62, no 38, divided 16), and designed to support those who accept women in the episcopate, this highly

controversial legislation was rarely used and died at the end of six years at the 1994 convention. As the focus of the

1988 Annual Meeting, EWC members had the opportunity to tell the Presiding Bishop of their pain at being

exploited once again and of their resentment at the emphasis on collegiality at the expense of women.

FIRST FEMALE BISHOP

Marge Christie becomes the first "career" lay woman to serve as president, Martha Blacklock is the new editor

of Ruach, and a new position of business manager is assumed by Brian Bucklee whose experience of managing the

finances of the Lambeth presence made him willing to take on such a formidable task. A fund was established to

support networking among Anglican women with the monies remaining from EWC Lambeth. Early recipients were

Australian women needing assistance to attend the consecration of Barbara Harris as bishop and St. Hilda's

Community outside of London wanting to hire a full time woman priest for evangelism. The Caucus Board

responded to a request from the Massachusetts chapter to help in securing acceptances to the election of Barbara

Harris as suffragan bishop. An "alert" was sent to all members asking them to contact standing committee members

and confront the sexism disguised as theological belief. To be in Boston, among the thousands of jubilant

witnesses, on the 11th of February at the consecration of the first woman bishop in the Anglican Communion was

pure joy.

At the suggestion of the Presiding Bishop for a kinder, gentler church, efforts were undertaken to initiate

conversations between EWC members and representatives of the Evangelical and Catholic Mission; Anne

Robbins, Gay Jennings, Nan Peete, Chilton Knudsen and Carol Cole Flanagan -- all priests -- agreed to serve.

Despite ECM's declared willingness to talk, and several efforts to begin, no meeting ever took place. During this

time, with the permission of the Presiding Bishop, the Board began its practice of meeting at the same time and

place as the House of Bishops and continued its efforts to get the dialogue underway. However, when the Bishop of

Fort Worth described "the dangerous and unstoppable influence of radical feminist theology" he unwittingly

provided the program theme for the next Annual Meeting.

Six years later Muffie Moroney and Helen Havens manage to have a one-day conversation with two

representatives of the Episcopal Synod of America, but no resolution of the differing points of view is possible, and

no further talks are planned.

At the invitation of the Council for the Development of Ministry, Elizabeth Maxwell was appointed to

represent the EWC. She was asked to report on activities and concerns of the Caucus as well as the Committee on

the Status of Women and to raise women's concerns in all CDM's discussions, particularly around the ordination

process and deployment.